---
title: "UKRI-6395 Microstructure Equipped Underwater Glider"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-077713"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077713"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077713.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077713.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION"
published: "2026-09-22"
---

# UKRI-6395 Microstructure Equipped Underwater Glider

Buyer: UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-077713

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## Summary

UK Research & Innovation (UKRI) procured one microstructure-equipped underwater glider for scientific research. The requirement is for a specialist marine research vehicle fitted with microstructure measurement equipment, rather than a general vessel or standard laboratory instrument. The glider is classified as a good and is intended for delivery and use in the United Kingdom. UKRI is the central government research organisation buying the equipment, with the requirement associated with its scientific research activities. The scope is a single equipment requirement, covering the glider and the equipment needed for it to operate within UKRI’s research environment. This is relevant to manufacturers and specialist suppliers of underwater gliders, autonomous marine platforms, oceanographic equipment and integrated scientific sensing systems.

The procurement has reached the award stage: Teledyne Instruments Inc. trading as Teledyne Webb Research was selected as supplier for the single lot. The award was made on 22 September 2026 for USD 424,640 gross. The contract period is from 6 October 2026 to 31 March 2027, with contract signature scheduled for 5 October 2026 and the standstill period ending on 2 October 2026. UKRI used a direct award rather than a competitive tender. Its stated rationale is that competition is absent for technical reasons: the new equipment must interface with existing control systems, tools and processes, and this equipment is considered the only one capable of meeting those requirements. The award includes an option allowing alterations to the equipment if requirements change before delivery.

This award demonstrates demand from UKRI for high-specification autonomous underwater gliders equipped for scientific measurement. Suppliers seeking to compete when a comparable requirement returns would need capability in underwater vehicle manufacture or supply, microstructure instrumentation and integration of sensors with established control systems, tools and operational processes. Credibility would depend on showing that the proposed equipment can work within an existing research infrastructure, rather than simply offering an equivalent vehicle in isolation. Relevant businesses include specialist oceanographic equipment manufacturers, autonomous marine technology firms, scientific instrument integrators and suppliers able to support configuration changes before delivery. The requirement is technically specialised and suited to organisations with established engineering capacity, dependable equipment integration and experience supplying research-grade marine systems.

## Notice

UKRI is looking to procure an underwater glider with equipped microstructure, for use in scientific research.

### Procurement Information

Competition is absent for technical reasoning. The new equipment must interface with existing control systems, tools and processes. This equipment is the only one capable of meeting those requirements.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089452-2026 |
| Notice type | UK6 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Goods |
| Procurement method | Direct |
| Procurement method details | Direct award |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 22 Sep 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 22 Sep 2026 |
| Contract period | 6 Oct 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £424,640 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Pending |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UK RESEARCH & INNOVATION |
| Locality | SWINDON, WILTSHIRE |
| Postcode area | Swindon |
| Postcode | SN2 1FL |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLK7 Gloucestershire and Wiltshire |
| ITL 3 | TLK71 Swindon |
| Local authority | Swindon |
| Electoral ward | Rodbourne Cheney |
| Westminster constituency | Swindon North |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | Teledyne Instruments Inc. d/b/a Teledyne Webb Research |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 34 - Transport equipment and auxiliary products to transportation

### Codes

- 34721000 - Gliders

## Release History

- 22 Sep 2026 at 10:03 - Award - UK6 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089452-2026
- 22 Sep 2026 at 10:00 - Award - UK5 - Transparency Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089449-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089452-2026
  22nd September 2026 - Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089449-2026
  22nd September 2026 - Transparency notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents
- https://www.ukri.org/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-077713. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-077713.json.